A DESPERATE family is urging people to become bone marrow donors after a six-year-old boy was diagnosed with a rare blood disease.

Marley Nicholls was diagnosed aplastic anaemia after weeks of tests due to feeling unwell and having a high temperature.

Aplastic anaemia stops the body from producing enough blood cells and doctors fear that without a bone marrow transplant the disease will prove fatal for Marley.

Marley is from Newport, and despite an appeal by our sister paper the South Wales Argus that saw over 3,000 people sign up to become a donor, no match has been found.

Now the search is being spread further afield through other local newspapers to try to help little Marley, who could have just two years left if no donor is found.

Jennifer Turner, Marley’s aunt who spoke on behalf of parents Shaney and Joe, said: “It was absolutely devastating.

“The family are devastated. It’s the type of thing you don’t expect to happen to your own family.

“So now they are doing everything they can to make sure they find a donor.”

Marley, who is 6 years old, needs a bone marrow donor. Picture: christinsleyphotography.co.uk

The St Julian’s Primary School student spent two weeks having his blood taken while doctors struggled to find a cause, and although doctors suspected leukaemia, Marley was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia in July following bone marrow analysis.

Shaney and Joe were shattered further when Marley's four-year-old brother and best chance of donor, George, was not a match.

In a Facebook post on the group Marrow for Marley, which was set up to raise awareness and encourage people to become bone marrow donors, Shaney pleaded the public: “We are just an everyday family who really needs some help.

“We need as many people as we possibly can to sign up to the Bone Marrow Register so if you are between 17 and 31 I am begging you.

“PLEASE help us and PLEASE go and sign up.

“We are desperately looking for a donor. Even if this is not for you, or you are over 31 please PLEASE share this post because we are so hopeful that somebody out there will help us.

“It could literally save his life.

“We never in a million years thought this would happen to us but it has and I'm just a mum trying to do my absolute best for my little boy. Please, please help us.”

Ms Turner added: “Shaney and Joe don’t want to focus on how long he has but want to raise awareness and channel everything into finding a donor.”

Marley’s parents are using the group to encourage potential donors to sign up to Anthony Nolan, a charity that works in stem cell transplantation.

They are appealing to people aged 17 to 30, as they are more likely to be a match, but those in good health aged 31 to 55 can also register on the DKMS marrow register.

Click here to sign up as a donor on Anthony Nolan’s website.